1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a field of handles. More particularly, it pertains to the field of chest-type handles and to a novel handle that is foldable to a small, compact configuration that holds itself in its folded state without the use of springs, straps, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All large and heavy objects and boxes are cumbersome and difficult to handle without the aid of handles. Handles allow the items to be grasped by the hand and lifted and moved with ease. However, once the item has been moved into its desired position, the handles become somewhat extraneous and, if not placed out of the way, they become an annoyance and, more importantly, may become a personal hazard.
For instance, when loading luggage into the back of the family car, in preparation for a vacation, the suitcases are easily lifted by their handles and placed in the trunk. As more luggage is loaded and the suitcases are pushed closer and closer together and turned on their sides, the handles on the luggage previously loaded become obstacles to further loading. More importantly, these handles catch fingers and fingernails of the loader and may cause physical injury if care is not taken.
In the computer field, there is a movement towards stacking computer equipment in racks, one unit on top of another, and interconnecting them to achieve more computing power without a great sacrifice in floor space or bench space. The computers are usually carried in racks and on rails similar to the rails that support drawers in filing cabinets so that they may be pulled out for interconnection and repair and pushed back in for operation.
These computer units are large, often measuring 28 inches by 28 inches and 6 to 8 inches high and weigh upwards of 30 pounds or more. Just like luggage, they require handles for ease in manipulation. While front mounted handles are provided to pull and push the units on the rails, other handles are required to lift the units out of the rails for repair and/or replacement and back into the rails for restacking and operation.
There are constraints upon the type, size and location of handles usable in computer racks. They are usually of the chest type, i.e. they mount to the vertical side wall of the unit as opposed to being mounted on the top surface so that other units may be stacked on top of them without interference from the handles. They need to be of a size sufficient to carry all the weight of the unit, usually one handle on Opposite sides of the computer unit, so that it is stabilized while being lifted or lowered. In addition, it should be full size so that it may be gripped with the whole hand; these computer units are quite expensive and the handles need to be quite strong in order to prevent them from falling and breaking.
The handle should be designed to fold away when not in use so that it will not interfere with moving the unit in and out along the rails. This compactness also should be achieved without the use of springs, wires or straps as they have been known to break loose and penetrate an opening in the computer housing and short circuit the interior components. Finally, the handles should be manufactured at a low cost so as to maintain the competitive nature of their use in the racking system.